Convict fled while on leave for family funeral

By doing a “runner” while on compassionate leave to attend a family funeral, a Limerick remand prisoner had posed difficulties for others seeking similar treatment by the State, a judge said yesterday.

Anthony Earls, aged 23, of St Ita’s Street, St Mary’s Park, had been allowed out of Limerick prison earlier this month on the day of his aunt’s funeral. He had been released from 8am to 6pm.

However, after he did not return, a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was apprehended several days later, in what Sgt Donal Cronin told the court was a difficult arrest.

Jailing Earls yesterday at Limerick District Court, for four months for skipping his release period, Judge Eugene O’Kelly said Earls had “seriously damaged the chances” of other prisoners attaining the same permission to leave prison for family funerals.

A previous sitting of the court issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the accused.

Warning that the consequences of Earls failure to return to Limerick prison, could reflect on others, Judge O’Kelly said: “I suspect that any other similar applications will be strenuously objected to by the State given his actions. People who are disappointed in that regard can blame Mr Earls as he failed to return after he was granted that compassionate leave.”

However, Judge O’Kelly noted he would treat any applications for compassionate leave on its merits.

“He has breached a trust and responsible for endangering similar applications by people wishing to get released temporarily on compassionate leave. The State was willing to facilitate this but if some culture were to build up of people skipping when allowed out on compassionate leave, it would make it extremely difficult for other people looking for compassionate leave who would not abuse the situation.”

Judge O’Kelly said he was giving Earls credit for pleading guilty, but it was a matter he had to treat seriously as he had been given leave from prison in exceptional circumstances and had abused this.